Do you ever stop to thank God for your baptism? Do you have your baptism date marked on your calendar and your annual baptism party planned? 

According to Paul, you should, because Baptism is one of the greatest gifts you have ever received. “[God] saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5,6). Notice that language. God saved us “through the washing,” a reference to Baptism. I might say, “The lobby is through that door,” which means that you use the door to get to the lobby. Here Paul says, “Salvation is through Baptism,” which means you use Baptism to get saved. What a gift!

There are other ways for Jesus to save you. Perhaps you were saved through the Word in a conversation or personal devotion or pastor’s sermon and were baptized afterward: “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:18). Or maybe you were like me and God first saved you through the washing, and the teaching followed to put grace on top of grace. In either case, Baptism is one of a Christian’s greatest blessings.

This is why our church claps at Baptisms. Even though many of us came from less emotional church upbringings, we decided that Baptism was too beautiful for serious faces. We smile and cheer and celebrate with the angels. Why? Because we believe Paul’s words. God saved us through the washing.